Rotary-disk road grader



April 22 ,1924. 1,491,315

F. H. RUDAT ROTARYv DISK ROAD GRADER Filed Nov. 20, X922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 2z 1924. 1,491,315

f F. H. RUDAT ROTARY DISK ROAD GRADER Filed Nov. 2O 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 btoz 149,14

Patented Apr. 22, 1924.

.UNITED STATES FRANK H. RUDAT, or COLUMBUS, NEBRASKA.

RoTARYmIsK ROAD GRAnER.

Application led November 20, 1922.V Serial No. 602,054.

To all whom t may concer/n:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. RUDAT, a citizen of the United States, residing at `Columbus, in the county of Platte and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary-Disk Road Graders, of which the following is a specification.

The invention has for an object to effect improvements in road graders, to enable the use of rotary disks in scraping a road surface and moving the surface material later` ally of the road.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention reside in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts as hereinafter described and shown in they drawings, presenting one embodiment of the invention, wherein,

Figure 1 is a plan` view of a grader constructed in accordance with the invention,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view thereof,

Fig. 3 is a detail ofthe disk mounting, and gang bar, v Y i Fig. t is a longitudinal sectional view of the device,

Fig. 5 is a detail of the steering means,

Fig; 6 is a vertical cross section of a disk and its mounting, f i y Fig. 7 is a detail of the adjustable mounting for an end disk on the gang,

Fig. 8 is a top view of the disk mounting.

There is illustrated a gradercomprising a main frame 10, broad atits rear part and narrow at the forward part, as be seen in Fig. 1, the frame beingsupported at the rear by large rollers 11, which may be weighted, if desired, but preferably are like hollow drums.` At theforward part, the frame is supported by a steering roller 12, carried in a caster frame 13 which is provided with a steering yoke 14 projecting forwardly therefrom, and moved by means offa cable 15 wound upon a small steering drum 16 at the lower end' of a vertical shaft 17 mounted in a tongue frame 18 projected forwardly from the front end of the frame 10. VThe upper yendof the shaft 17 is provided With a large bevelled gear 19` meshed with which there is a small pinion 2O fixed on the forward end of a steering shaft 21 4mounted revolubly upon the upper side of the frame 10 Aand extending rearwardly to an operators platform 22-where an upstanding bracket 23 'supports the shaft revolubly.

Therear end of the shaft is provided with a hand wheel 24 by which manual steering of the device is accomplishe -The forward endv of the truck frame 18 isprovided with an aperture 18 by which draft connectionsmay be 'made' withthe" apparatus. The platform 22 at the rear'is supported directly yupon atransverse rail member of the frame 10 and at its `forward end upon a beam 25,l which extends'across theframe 10. 'The beam 25is ofchannel iron and if desired may be adjusted angularly on the frame 10.v A transverse draft' beam 26is mounted intermediately A0f the forwardly convergent sides of the frame. The beam is adjustable forwardly or backwardly at its ends upon the side members of the frame l0 so as to adjust the'angular relation of the beam to the direction of travel of the machine, as desired." In the present instance, the beamwis secured by 'removable pins 27 inserted through the beam 26 and suitable apertures spaced longitudi-` v nally on the side members of the frame 10.w The beam 26 carries a number of 'eye' couplers 28, three in thepresentvinstance, f

upon which are engaged respectively the forwardapertured ends of draft arms 29 extending rearwardlyL and downwardly, over and lbehind a disk gang 30, the'r bars 29 may be connected `lfiingedly at their rear rlower ends to the beam 31 `upon which the gang of disks is mounted. "Thebars 29 are so secured to the beam 31 as to hold itsecurely in fixed relation to the perpendicular, butl permitting lateral shifting of the beam with respect to the frame 10.` The bars 29 are formed of channel iron, and theirlower rear ends extend vertically as shown in Fig. 6, being provided at the extremities with a suitable pivot fitting 32, riveted to the bar 29 and having a vertically bored portion receiving the spindle bolt 33 which is engagedthrough knuckles or cars 34 riveted upon the eye beam 31, as shown in Figs/6 and 3j A nut '35 is engaged onthe lower end of each spindle bolt33. fi f v llpon the top of the. disk beam 31, there are mounted a series of clamp mou'ntings 36. in the form of saddle andstrap elements. between each set of which there is clamped a stud shaft 37, upon which respective disk 38 is mounted. 1 The disk may be pressed from' sheet metal in the customary manner, and maybe either flat or slightly (lished, as found vdesirable to suit` the work to Whichthe `device is applied; and fixed axially upon. each there is a hub element 39, having a forward cap portion 40 which forms a continuation of a barrel 41 of the hub, the cap portion being inserted snugly through a proper aperture in the disk 38` the barrel having a flange 42 thereon intermediately of its length, which flange is fitted snugly against the back face of the disk and boltedpthereto4 with ka suitable number of bolts andnuts, The rear end of the barrel is provided with a peripheral circumscribing flange 43, andthe saddle' and strap element of theclamp mounting 36 are provided with recesses having circumscribing grooves, and adapted to engage snugly over and enclose lthisrflange, and the adjacent barrel portion to serve as a dust cap and vretainer and permitting free rotation of the hub.y while. the shaft 37y isrsecurely clamped. The shaft 37 is fitted snugly and revolubly in the hub andy preferably stops short of the cap end atcthe forward part to provide a small space to accommodate oil or other lubricant.

For the support of the` disk gang,` links 45 jare connected thereto adjacentr each end by` means of. swivel eyes to which the lower endsof the links are hooked. The upper ends of the links are swivelly connected eccentrically to gears 47, mountedupon re.

. spective. brackets 48 onY the cross beam, 25. y The gears are mounted in a plane with the ra gear 52 is mounted in a transversevplane,

with which a'worm 53 is meshed.Y The bracket 'for 4the gear 52"is extended down' wardlyfrom the beam 25 to onevside of the machine and' the worm 53 is arranged dif ago'nallyV so that its shaft 54 may extend upwardly to the opposite side of the machine closely adjacent one of the hand wheels 51, where a similar hand wheel 55 is provided on the shaft 54. A link 56 is swivelled upon the gear 52 eccentrically thereof,v and extended transversely vof the machine as far as possible, and connected swivelly to the beam 31, the arrangement being such ythat the link 56 extends as nearly horizontales practicable. This mechanism is utilized to 'adjust the disk gang transversely, as may be required.`

In the operation of the machine, the angle of the disk gang with respect to the direction of travel of the machine may be adjusted by the draft beam 27 as required. In case a considerable degree of angular adjustment should be necessary, it is possible to also adjust the bar 25 similarly, but for. moderate differences, it is only necessary to adjust the draft beam. The terminal disk, or one ofthe terminal disks may be made adjustable after the manner indicated in Fig. 7 longitudinal Islots being formed'in the terminal flanges of the. beam 3l, which is curved slightly forward. Upon the top of this beam there is clamped a platey 56', having transverse slots 57 which may be adjusted at right angles to the slots 58 in the beam 8l. Upon the head portion of the plate` 56 there is mounted a stud shaft 57 with a saddle and strap mounting -similar tothat before described. Bolts andv nuts being engaged in the slots 57 andl 58, the plate` 56 may be clamped in various angular relations to the supporting portion of the beam 3l, and may also be adjusted transversely, and longitudinally of the beam.

If desired, an auxiliaryspreader boardl 60 may be hingedly mountedupon the side Iof the framel() and rearwardly ofthe disk gang, to spread earth. discharged at one.

sideby the disk gang, as may be required.

This device will be found especially usefuly in workingy earth and `gravel roads, the

disks being especially efficient in throwingy toward the middle ofthe road material which has washed to one side, or material which it is necessary to excavate, andthe spreader. will distribute this material smoothly and in a more suitable. condition for rolling than could material p-roducedfby a simple bladescraper. The device is also suitable for Vuse as a roller, by hoist-ing the gang, as will. be readily understood.

It is also very useful in shaping'aroad, way itself, especially .where al roadway is badly rutted and Icomprises hardmaterial. In all operations,` the power'vrequired for draft vis reduced toaminimum by reason of the easy rolling of the disks when en.- gagedA with material excavated or moved thereby.

It should be notedftsee Fig. 2) that the wheels ll are shown inclined upon their tread surfaces, andthis is done in order that the machine may travel ata proper angle upon -the customary sloping sides of a roadway, and also to better. resist -the lateral thrust transmitted to the frameby the .disks and the scraper board. The wheel 12'may be similarly constructed, if desired.

What is claimed 1. In a machine ofr the character described, a wheeled frame, a transverse beam adjustable angularly with respect to the fore and aft axis ofthe machine, a plurality of bars having universal pivotal connection therewith, and being curved downwardly at their rear parts, a scraper mounting member having hinged connection with the lower ends of the bars and extending transversely of the frame, and means to adjust the scraper mounting member vertically at either side.

2. In a machine of the character described, a wheeled frame, a transverse scraper element thereon, vertically and laterally movable, large gears mounted on the upper part of the machine in a transverse plane, respective links eccentrically connected to the gears and extending directly downward to the scraper element and having swivelled connectiony both with the gears and with the scraper element, another gear mounted in a transverse plane on said frame, a link swivelled eccentrically on the gear and also so connected to the scraper element at a distance from the gear laterally of the frame, and respective means to operate said first two and the last .named gears alternatively.

3. In a machine of the character described, a wheeled frame, a second frame element vertically and transversely adjustable on the rst frame, a multiplicity of disk elements on the second frame arranged in closely overlapped relation'arranged transversely of the first frame, fand mounted for rotation on axes extending uin a fore and aft direction, the outermost ofthe disks having a separately adjustable mounting whereby adjustment of angular relation to the remainder of the gang may be made, and also for adjust-ment of the outermost of the disks bodily for position transversely and longi tudinally.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two' witnesses.

' FRANK H. RUDAT. Witnesses:

G. W. PHILLIPS, A. J. PHILLIPS. 

